Tagging machine



R. ENCH Filed Jan. 8, 1934 NEY 25 to agarment.

. thdirterisioh"Foftheframe. mneshar k "the" guide opening "therefor are preferably rec- Patented Feb. 18, 1936 QPATENT OFFICE i plieatiem sanuar s,

provide a simple and inexpensive macliine for -"auto'm'ati'cally clinching stapled tagsto provide mea'nsfor facilitating insertion of ta'gsirito the iriachine, to provide an improved die'-coristruction *10 wnerem the staples are accurately 'spaced to re- '20 applying -r'nachine constructed in ax'zcicir'dance"W ith my invention.

j-Fig; 2-is a side elevationalview of 'the' device. Fig; 3 is a'verticalsectional-view through the idie members for clinching the staples-of the tag Fig. i is an enlarged detail woman-view through" the dies' illustrating the-*poiti'on ofibhe '=dies*at the time the sta 1es-begm wpenetrate- 2. garment carried by thegarment support.

"Fig: 5"is a *-'s'imi1ar View showingwe relative positionfof the dies and Work'support j'ust prior to final clinchingbfthestelples.

Fig. 6 is a detailperspective"view of one ofthe stapled tags, as used in the machine.

Fig.7 is a-pers'pectiveview of --the tag guide whereby the tags "are gui'ded for mov''enlient into "theupper die. 7

Referring morein detail" to the drawing:

1' "designates astapledtag applying machine 40 including a base plate 2 having op s 3'-therein through which fastening devices; such as "serews 4 are extended to"secure-the machlne to atableor' other support 5.

Extending upwardly from one "sideof' the base 45 plate and spaced from its side edge-is a-'fi'ame 50 The" upper die member constitutes a 's'ub 51591111918113 -shaped hammer head port;1b e an' upwardly extendin shan mm; is

-reciprcab1y mounted in a guide Opfiingt: 1a I Land 1934; Serial N0." 7-05,7-63

tangular- =in -cross section, so -as to prevent rota- --'ti'on' of the u'pper die relatively to the lower: die 9 when it -is reciprocated-to and from clinching positionas here'inaf-ter described.

'Phe'up'per-endof theshank l lsisprovided' With-L5 a-'-s'lotted "p'o'rtion ltto form spacedears l4 and lE-between which is mounted a rock lever IS, the lever being pivotally connected with the ears by 'a screw ll extending through openings in the ears aind aslotJBiormed in theendiof thecqo lever toallow for arcuate movement thereof when the lever is actuatedlto reciprocatethe upperdie member.

Therearend of the lever is pivotally. connected -by ascrew lltozspacedears 2d and 2| carried Jon -the rear upper corner of the frame member. l he rock -leverilfi is operated through a connecting l ink -22 which is connected. to a foot pedal 23 p'ivotally mountedbn the floor by a bracket 24.

'Ihe -bracket 24 includes a plate portion 2t that zattached tov the floor by'fastening devices 26 dsh rupwardly extending ears 2'! and 28.for prvotally mounting-the lever portion 29 of the loot pedal.

The link 22- comprises a rod having yoke shapedheads :30 and 3! that are. pivotally connected to the rock lever-vat a'pointbetween the fulcrum thereof andnthe shank of the die and tothe lever portion 29 of the foot pedal respectively, the' oonnections being provided by pins 32.

'lhe upper "die is normally retained in: its up p'e'rmost position by a coil spring -34having oneend secured to an eye 35 carried by the base plate and 'its;.opposite end secured to an eye 36 0f an adjusting screw 31 that is threadedlymounted in an opening in the rear end of the r o'ck lever.

-The"adjusting screw maybe locked in adjusted position: bya nut 38 threaded on the projecting e'nd -ofthe screw and engaging the upper face of. the lever as shown in Figs. 1and'2.

Extending from the frame member 6 and prefer ably formed' integrally with'the base plate is ---a-'lateral 'frameextension 39 having a vertical front face' fill extending in the plane of the frontiace 4l of the frame 6 while the rear face 42 thereof extends diagonally toward the rear edge of the frame 6 to provide space'above the base 'plate for a tag receptacle 43.

The receptacle preferably includes a dish- "shaped member having a laterally extending. pe-

'pliral -fia'nge 44 adapted to engage a'ring 45 "car riedg brt a bracketa'rm 46 that is pivotally mounted inan opening 41-inthe upper face of the frame extension. 4

The die members 8 and 9 are shaped to accommodate a standard stapled tag comprising a short strip of fabric or like tape 48 having staples 49 and 50 with their prongs 5| and 52 extending through the strip adjacent the ends thereof as shown in Fig. 6. The bar portions 53 of the staples are of such length to allow the prongs to be spaced inwardly from the side edges 54 and 55 of the strip.

The upper die member is provided on its under face with a channel shaped groove 56 having substantially the same width as the strip portion 48 of the tags and having inwardly extending ribs or claws 51 and 58 projecting inwardly and extending longitudinally of the vertical sides 59 and 60 of the groove to form supports 6| and 62 for the side edges of the cloth tags whereby the bar portions of the staples are retained on the bottom or hammer face portion 83 of the die member.

In order to facilitate placement of the stapled tags so that the side edges 54 and 55 thereof may be moved in guided relation into the die member for support by the claws 5'! and 58, I provide a tag guide member 64 comprising a fiat block 65 having spaced longitudinally extending slots 56 and 61 opening from the end thereof adjacent the upper die.

The slots 66 and 61 divide the block into spaced fingers 68, 68 and 10 which engage the under face of the tags to support them in alignment with the upper face of the claws 5'! and 58 with the prongs 5| and 52 depending within the slots.

In order to support the member 64 so that the end thereof can be adjusted relatively to the groove of the die, it is provided with a laterally extending pin II which is received in an opening I2 formed in the front face of the frame extension 39. The supporting member 64 may thus be moved laterally of the head to position it so that the sides of the tag are positioned to enter the channel-shaped groove of the die, and pivoted so as to adjust the free end of the fingers relatively to the height of the die. After adjustment, the supporting member may be retained in selected position by a thumb screw 13 threaded into an opening 14 in the frame extension and having an end engaging against the pin 1|.

In order to gage the position of the tag in the die, the end of the groove 56 opposite the supporting member 64 is closed by a stop bar 15 while its opposite end is provided with a finger recess 18 to accommodate the finger of the operator in shoving the tag from the guide support into the die.

The lower die includes a block or anvil Tl that is supported above the base plate on legs 18 and 19 directly in alignment with the upper die and in position so that the claws thereof will move over the parallel side faces and 8| of the anvil.

The anvil TI is of sufl'icient length to conform to the spacing of the staples and its upper face is provided with spaced parallel concave grooves to form guiding surfaces whereby the prongs of the staples are moved into clinching position as later described.

In order to support the Work above the level of the anvil to permit substantially complete penetration of the prongs before clinching begins, the lower die also includes a work support ing member 82 comprising a rectangular shaped frame having a recess 83 formed therein to accommodate the anvil portion of the die, as clear- 1y shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, so that the sides 84 thereof extend above the surface of the die and form supports for the garment. I

The bottom plate portion 85 of the frame is provided with spaced openings 86 and 81 for accommodating the legs supporting the anvil.

During clinching of the prongs, the garment support is moved downwardly over the anvil legs by contact of the upper die with the garment, the garment support being normally supported by coiled springs 88 and 89 which are sleeved over the anvil legs.

The legs 18 and 19 of the anvil are secured to the base plate by screws 90 extending through openings 9| in the base plate and having threaded shanks engaging in threaded sockets 92 in the legs.

In operating a machine constructed and assembled as described, the receptacle 43 is filled with stapled tags, such as shown in Fig. 6. When a tag is to be applied to a garment, the tag is removed from the receptacle and placed on the supporting member 64 with the prongs 5| and 52 thereof extending in the slots 65 and 61. The portion of the garment to be tagged is then stretched across the garment support, after which the tag is slid into position in the upper die so that the side edges 54 and 55 thereof are supported by the claws 51 and 58 with the prongs of the tag extending in the direction of the garment.

The foot pedal 23 is then depressed to rock the lever IE to move the upper die or anvil head toward the garment. As the head approaches the garment, the prongs 5| and 52 of the tag will engage and be projected through the garment by the time the claw portions of the upper die engage the upper face of the garment.

The claw portions of the die are then in substantial contact with the upper face of the garment.

Continued downward movement of the upper die effects downward movement of the work support against tension of its supporting springs 88 and 89. Simultaneously with downward movement of the Work support, the points of the prongs engage the concave grooves of the anvil and are guided into clinching position, as shown in Fig. 5. In final clinched position, the upper portion of the anvil enters the tag retaining channel of the upper die only the depth of the claws so that there is little or no stretching of the garment that might tend to tear the fabric.

Upon release of the pedal, the spring 34 which has been tensioned on downward movement of the die will return the upper die to retracted position to cause withdrawal of the tag therefrom for the reason that the garment is still retained in taut condition over the garment support by the operator.

As soon as pressure is released on the garment, the springs 88 and 89 will return the garment support to normal position, after which the garment is removed, completing the operation.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a simple, inexpensive machine for automatically clinching stapled tags to garments in such a manner that there is little or no stretching action of the garments, while the tags are being applied, which might tend to tear the fabric.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member mounted on the support for movement to and from the anvil, means for actuating the hammer member, means on the hammer member for supporting a stapled tag with prongs projecting toward the anvil, a guide member, means for pivotally mounting the guide member on the support for guiding the tag into said tag supporting means on the hammer member, a work support, and means carrying the work support for movement relatively to the tag supporting means on the hammer member above the anvil to effect penetration of the prongs through the work and movable over the anvil under force of the hammer member whereby the prongs are clinched on the anvil.

2. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member mounted on the support for movement to and from the anvil, means on the hammer member for supporting a stapled tag with prongs directed toward the anvil, a guide member carried by the support for guiding the tag into said tag supporting means on the hammer member, means pivotally adjusting the guide member relatively to the tag supporting means, and a work support yieldingly carried above the anvil to effect penetration of the prongs through the work and movable over the anvil under force of the hammer member whereby the prongs are clinched on the anvil.

3. In combination with hammer and anvil members and means for supporting a stapled tag on one of the members, a guide member having finger portions forming a support for the tag and slots to receive prongs on the tag, and means for supporting pivotally the guide member relatively to said tag supporting means whereby a stapled tag is moved in guided relation into said supporting means.

4. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member provided with a fiat face and having a shank portion, means slidably mounting the shank portion of the hammer member on the support for vertical movement to and from the anvil, a rock lever pivotally mounted on the support and connected with said shank portion, an actuating lever connected with the rock lever, means on the hammer member for supporting a stapled tag in contact with said face with prongs projecting toward the anvil, a work support yieldingly carried above the anvil to effect penetration of the prongs through the work and movable over the anvil under force of the hammer member whereby the prongs are clinched on the anvil, and a guide member carried by the first named support for guiding the tag into said tag supporting means on the hammer member.

5. In a machine of the character described, a support, a rectangular shaped anvil carried by the support, a hammer member conforming in shape to the anvil and provided with a channel shaped seat for accommodating a tag having staples including cross bar portions adapted to engage said seat and prongs projecting through the tag in the direction of the anvil, a garment supporting frame slidable over the anvil and having side and end portions of the frame spaced from the prongs, means mounting the hammer for vertical movement on the support to carry the prongs vertically through the garment while the garment is held on the support, and means ment over the anvil for effecting clinching of the prongs against the anvil.

6. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member provided with a channel shaped seat open at one end for accommodating a tag having prongs extending through the tag in the direction of the anvil, a tag guide carried by the support and having spaced fingers aligning with the open end of the channel to provide guide slots to receive the prongs for guiding the tag in movement into said channel shaped seat, a garment supporting frame slidable over the anvil and spaced from the prongs of the tag, means mounting the hammer for vertical movement on the support for carrying the prongs vertically through the garment while the garment is held on the support, and means yieldingly retaining the garment support with the garment in spaced relation with the anvil while the prongs are passing through the garment and yieldable upon pressure of the hammer against the garment support to move the garment support over the anvil for effecting clinching of the prongs against the anvil.

'7. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member mounted on the support for movement to and from the anvil and having a fiat face portion, means for actuating the hammer member, means on the hammer member for support ing a stapled tag in contact with said flat face portion and with prongs directed toward the anvil, a guide member carried by the support for guiding the tag into said hammer member for support by said supporting means, a work support having a recess for the anvil, means for adjustably positioning the guide member to align said guide member with the tag supporting means, and means yieldingly mounting the work support for sliding movement over the anvil to effect penetration of the prongs through the work and movable over the anvil under force of the hammer member, whereby the prongs are clinched on the anvil.

8. In a machine of the character described, a support, an anvil carried by the support, a hammer member mounted on the support and provided with a face for backing against the cross bars of staples in a stapled tag for movement to and from the anvil and having claws for supporting the stapled tag with said cross bars in contact with said backing face and with prongs of the staples projecting toward the anvil, a work support yieldingly carried above the anvil to effect penetration of prongs through the work and movable over the anvil under force of the hammer member to effect clinching of the prongs against the anvil.

RALPH W. FRENCH. 

